Recognizing Stress

Outreach

Strategies for Parents & Teachers

Benefits of Play & Age-Specific Interventions

 

Beyond Play by Karen DeBord and Nick Amann |  Part I  |  Part II  | Age-specific Interventions for Children in Disasters Preschoolers Elementary School-Age Children Preadolescent and Adolescents Draw-a-picture Draw-a-picture Stories, essays Tell-a-story Tell-a-story Books on disaster and loss Coloring books on disaster Books on disaster and loss Create-a-play about a disaster Books on disaster and loss Create-a-game about a disaster School project on natural sciences Doll, toy play Create-a-play about a disaster School project on social sciences Group games School study projects School health project Talks about disaster safety and self-protection Materials about disaster safety and self-family protection Materials about disaster safety and self-family, community protection Referrals There is no easy way to know when children need to be referred to a qualified professional for continued intervention. Below is a list of behaviors that could indicate just such a need: When the child verbalizes or indicates extreme anger, desire to hurt self or others, suicidal ideation/wishes, or past delinquent acts. Consistently expresses self in somber or self-deprecating terms Repeated reliance on dark colors and themes in artwork Repeated acting out aggressively or violently Developmentally inappropriate behavior- regression, precociousness, or repeated inappropriate sexual behavior Repeated isolation of self Fire setting and other destructive acts Repeated and deliberate harming of animals How to Refer Suspected Abuse or Neglect- People who care for children in a custodial or supervisory role are required by law to report any and all suspected cases of abuse or neglect to the State. This can be done by contacting the police or sheriff, the Department of Social Services, or the Child Protection Service. All of these numbers are listed in the phone book. A person does not need have to have proof of the abuse or neglect in order to file a report. For information about children- If you need information about child development, parenting skills, or just have questions about helping children be happy and productive people there are several places you can turn to for help. Listed below are several sources for information and/or assistance: Community Mental Health Centers County Family and Consumer Science Educator in the Extension Office Public Library-many have a Parents Resource Room Private Therapists A local college, university, community or junior college Tips For Teachers Teachers — victims themselves — deal with children who are victims of stress but are themselves also. Symptoms of burnout: Depression, irritability, anxiety,rage Exhaustion, fatigue, hyperactivity, appetite disorders, sleep disorders Inability to make decisions, external confusion, loss of objectivity Teaching is high stress even without a disaster — learn and develop ways to relieve stress; develop support system of other teachers and staff Tips for Human Service Providers Human service providers experience a patchwork of their own and others' stress. To deal with the stress of assisting others, support each other. Individual visits by mental health professionals to key officials and providers is also helpful to those in leadership positions. Town or county level events have been successfully used for a triple purpose: "crying while debriefing." During disasters: Regular staff of human service agencies do not all receive systematic recognition or attention for the disaster sustained period of overwork/overtime service. It is hard even for service providers to talk about their own stress but the effects of prolonged stress on them is partially evident in comments like, "We've got to get back to our other work. The flood can't occupy most of our time. It's time to return to normal business." In the Schools: School children can be encouraged to write about and tell aloud their feelings. Storytelling programs can involve children from one school/town going to another to tell their disaster stories. Penpals are another way children can interact. Informational programming can occur in consultation between teachers, counselors, parents about prolonged stress reactions, identification of abuse, etc. Counseling support groups with children by mental health professionals, individual counseling in schools on-site, and home visiting by mental health professionals on referrals from schools are ways to indirectly address disaster stress. Schools are often used as disaster shelters. After the disaster, however, homes are lost. At least in some heavily impacted schools, officials often unwittingly ask agencies to leave ... saying, "it's over," with the implicit attitude of denial and insensitivity but which also points to uncoordinated agency activity on behalf of families. A significant problem in assisting people in dealing with their stress is the mental health stigma. Often families need other agency gatekeepers to encourage and refer them for services. Mental health and other agencies need to clearly articulate the service being offered: "Support groups for decision-making" may be more acceptable than the stigmatized "emotional support": concept. Play References Deniger, M., Kottman, T., & Strother, J. (1987). Activity Therapy: An Alternative Therapy for Adolescents. Journal of Humanistic Education and Development, 25(4), 181-185. Dunne, P. (1988). Drama Therapy Techniques in one-to-one Treatment with Disturbed Children and Adolescents. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 15, 139-149. Eyberg, S. (1988). Parent Child Interaction Therapy: Integration of Traditional and Behavioral Concerns. Child and Family Behavior Therapy, 10(1), 33-45. Guerney, B., Jr. & Guerney, L. (1988). Building Relationship Skills in Families and Parafamily teams. Child and Youth Services, 11(1), 49-64. Guerney, B., Jr. & Guerney, L. (1987). Integrating Child and Family Therapy. Psychotherapy, 24, 609-613. Isaksen, J. (1986). Watching and Wondering, Palo Alto, CA: Mayfield Publishing Company.Kendall-Tackett, K. (1992). Beyond Anatomical Dolls: Professionals' Use of Other Play Therapy Techniques. Child Abuse and Neglect, 16, 139-142. Maclay, D., M.D. (1970). Treatment for Children, New York: Science House, Inc. Riordan, R. & Verdel, A. (1991). Evidence of Sexual Abuse in Children's Art Products. The School Counselor, 39, 116-121. Schaefer, C. (Ed). (1979). The Therapeutic Use of Child's Play, New Jersey:Aronson. Sourkes, B. (1991). Truth to Life: Art Therapy with Pediatric Oncology Patients and Their Siblings. Journal of Psychosocial Oncology, 9(2), 81-95. Return to the beginning > This material adapted by Dr. Karen DeBord, Child Development Specialist with North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service. The material came from the Stress and Coping with Disaster manual from University Extension in Columbia, Missouri developed during the Flood of 1993.

Special Thanks to Dr. Karen DeBord, the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service and North Carolina State University   Was This Information Helpful? Yes No Maybe Comments: Comments Back to Top